San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-04-28
A Remarkable Place In the Lone Star
State
twashington, Ind. asIstts.l

[washin9ton, Ind, Gsrette.l
Gar Ger the hills aud toward the dying day,
Sets like heart, q living heart. deep, deep
within the bosom Of Its wide prairies,
Lies the Valley Of San Marcos, and there
princess reused from slumber BY the KISS
Ofbalmy Southern skies. the river springs
From out her rocky bed and hsstens on
Far down the vale TO give her royal hand
In marriage to the waiting Guadalupe
The above quotation is stanza from
poem entitled 1.-THE River San Marcos" by
Miss Mollie E. Moore, a Texas poet and
former resident of the town of San Marcos,
situated at the herd Of this most mysterious
and wonderful stream at the base OF rocky
hills, oyergrown with cedar and mountain
laurel. The water gushes up from numer-
GUS springs, forming q full grown river at
once and furnishing sufficient power for rur-
ming the machiery of an extensive mill not
far below. 1t is spannedby lengthy and sub
stantial bridge just below and in plain sight
of the mill from which fine view of the
town and surrounding scenery is obtained.
The water is very clear and pure. Objects
are distinctly seen at the bottom, depth OF
from fifteen to twenty feet. luxuriant
growth of moss, water-i7y, water-cresses,
flags, reeds and lilies fills the stream and
dots its surface with little green islands.
When floating around in boat and peering
down into the crystal depths one behoids
the most enchanting scenes; arbors ana
arches of clustering vines, beds OF waving
MOSES, groves of tall slender reeds, and
fern covered rocks, the glinting sunshine
painting the aquatic foliage in all the fan
tastic hues of the rainbow. The clean mus
sel.shells, ON the cleun sandy bottom glitter
like diamonds, the pebbles like bright col
ored beads. 1 thought, while gazing down
on all these beauties, what delghttui
place to commit suicide" The thought was
expressed in words, and the pilot responded,
''I've heard so many say the same" One
can not resist this strange fascination when
contemplating the exquisite beauties which
nature has so lavishly bestowed beneath,
and yielding to the soothing dreamllke IN
fuence of the calm, steady, peaceful now
of the cool, limpid waters, whence no one
knows In the basin forming the head OF
the river, the water from the different
springs is in constant agitation, as II boil
ing, the clean, white sand being thrown up
surface. Our boat would turn and glide
away from one of its own accord. The vol
ume of water remains nearly the same the
wear round slight increase being notlcea-
b!e in the hottest weather; the theory of
which is that the subterranean reservoir of
which the curious stream is an outlet is
more abundantly supplied in summer from
the melting snow of the Rocky Mountains.
The San Marcos never freezes over; its fish
are not easily caught, and it has no tributa-
ries. It is only forty-fve miles from where
its restless, sleeplrss head is pillowed among
the rocky hills to where its smiling mouth
kisses, 'the waiting Guadalupe" Isn't
that a long stretch of mouth as well as i'm
agination?
The Chautauqua Institute grounds tower
above the town and river. The buildings
though yet but rough temporary construc-
tions suitable only for summer occupancy
are quite tasteful in design and add much
to the appearance of the place. Tho insti-
tuition is of recent organization. and the
halls and park remain closed except for
summer normals, teachers institutes, sun
day School Conventions, &c. The town
numbers about 2, 90 inhabitants and pre-
sents rather an ancient appearance, though
the people are reputed to be far above the
average in intelligence and refinement.
During my short stay there had the honor
and pleasure of meeting Mr.. Isaac Fl. Julian,
editor of the San Marcos FREE PRESS, and
brother of Hon. George w, Julian, of In
diana. He is, in manners, very quiet I'M
assuming gentlemen, yet proves terror to
his professional antagonists. He possesses
the Western characteristic of saying what
he thinks, regardless of whom it pleases.
The present winter has been the mildest
one of any for several years. The Their
mometer has been up in the seventies often
the lest three weeks. Windows and doors
had to be thrown oper for comfort. Gar
dening has begun. aud blowing for cotton is
in full blast, though ram is needed to make
things lively. There is almost water
famine in Hampstead, cisterns are empty
and wells are scarce. No heavy rains for
three months in this vicinity. s. A.
Hampstead, Tex, Feb. z, 1887.